At a Retreat in Sedona, Arizona 2001

This was after her Fawzia's with cancer. I believe it was organized by Naomi Mezebish of MD. The retreat lasted about a week.

Theresa (Tess) Connors - 1948 - 2012

"Theresa Connors died October 16, 2012 in Sandia Park, New Mexico. She was born on Dec. 27, 1948 in Ocala, Florida to L'Louise and James Connors and grew up in Bossier City, Louisiana, graduating from Bossier High School in 1966. She attended Louisiana Tech and LSU where she obtained her Masters Degree in Library Science.

Tess was an artist, a gardener, a lover of animals and books. Her home in Arkansas was filled with art that she had either made herself or collected, with hundreds of books and, always, with her special cats. Outside she surrounded her home with beautiful gardens. She worked as a librarian in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Missouri and Russellville, Arkansas where she lived until the onset of her illness. For years she wrote book reviews for "The Library Journal" and kept up a lively correspondence with several of her favorite authors through that venue.

She is survived by her sister, Connie Strange of New Mexico and three brothers, Danny Connors of Georgia, Jim Connors of Tennessee and Terry Connors of New Mexico as well as several nieces and nephews and their families." (from online Obituary)

From George

I learned only two weeks ago that Tess had passed away in October 2012. This came as a shock. 

Tess was a colleague and close friend of Fawzia's, who worked with Tess at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, in the early 1990's. They continued their friendship when Fawzia moved to Conway, AR, to work at the University of Central Arkansas library about an year later. Tess was already at Arkansas Tech University in Russelville, only 40 miles from Conway. Through Fawzia, I also knew Tess for more than 20 years.

Although Fawzia later moved to Hong Kong (where I worked) and later to Washington DC, we saw Tess regularly because we owned rental property in Conway. Whenever we visited Conway to check on these two houses, we would go onto Russellville and spend a day or two with Tess. Fawzia last saw Tess in the summer of 2011, when Fawzia and Roy visited.

My last communication with Tess was in April, 2012, when she wrote in this blog site. If you go to the entry dated April 25, 2012, you'll see the heartfelt letter that Tess wrote when Fawzia was leaving for Hong Kong. The entry on April 17, 2012, was written by Tess and includes some photos. A few were taken on her parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

From Tess' brother Jim and her sister Connie, I learned that Tess had been diagnosed with late stage cancer on July 4, 2012. She spent her last day's at Connie's house in New Mexico. Her beloved cat Merlin was also with her.

Tess and Fawzia were both born in 1948, and they died, too soon, in 2012. May they rest in peace.

Tess and Fawzia on tour in Arkansas

Fawzia Braine Memorial Award - 2013

The award is for the best journal article in applied linguistics published by a novice scholar.

The award for 2013 was presented on Monday June 3 to Jim Y.H. Chan, a doctoral student of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, for his article in World Englishes titled "Contextual variation in accent acceptability: the case of Hong Kong English". The award was for HK$2,500. 

Video: http://youtu.be/a8D3TnLsnPk

About 25 guests attended. The award is made through the Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL).

Donations to the Memorial Award was made by Mark and Isabella Taylor, Joanna Radwanska Williams, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, and George Braine. The total amount raised was HK$25,000.

Professor Icy Lee is the Trustee of the Award.

Jim Chan, 2013 winner

Photos from old friend Santiago (Santhi) Peiris

Santhia & Ranjani's wedding day - December 2, 1978, at Wennappuwa Church. Fawzia was 30 years old.

Santhi Carrying Roy. July, 1975. Jaya Estate, Chilaw.

Fawzia with Roy. 1986 at Raddolugama.

Gone Too Soon

Gone Too Soon: Fawzia Braine (1948 – 2012)

We traveled together from Hong Kong on January 6. Sitting in the veranda of our village home, we watched birds in the garden. To our delight, the Asian Paradise Flycatcher, a dazzling migratory bird with two long white tail streamers, made an appearance. There would be a flash of white across the greenery, and, like a little girl, Fawzia would be off running beneath the mango and cashew trees, trying to catch a closer view of the bird.

Then, we spent a week at our Hantana home, where monkeys came to steal the mangoes and avocados and porcupines and wild boar visited at night to feast on the fallen fruit. A soft mist covered the green hills and the city of Kandy glittered below at night. We went for long evening walks, chatted with the monk at the nearby temple, and dined out with old friends. Life couldn’t have been better.

I had no inkling of the tragedy that was to follow. Fawzia died on January 28, 2012, of injuries caused by a car accident.

She was the devoted wife who sacrificed her career to accompany me to the Middle East, to the USA, and finally to Hong Kong. To our son, Fawzia was the adoring mother, the epitome of unconditional love. To her elderly relatives, siblings, and cousins, she was the loving niece and sister, loyal and generous to a fault. To her nieces and nephews, she was the adventurous aunt who traveled the world. To an American colleague, Fawzia was “intelligent, cosmopolitan, knowledgeable, and politically liberal. She had a work ethic at a university where few seemed to have one. She was fun: always open to going out and doing something interesting.” Her doctor in Hong Kong, also an artist, painted a remarkable portrait interpreting Fawzia’s love of Sri Lanka and her religious beliefs. Tributes poured in to a blog site that was set up in her memory.

  

In 2000, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, we saw another side of Fawzia. She fought the cancer with fortitude and resolve, facing surgery, the harrowing side effects of chemotherapy, and numerous other medical procedures without self-pity or complaint. She had completed ten years of follow-up treatment and had been declared cancer-free when the fatal accident occurred. That only heightened the tragedy of her passing.

Fawzia did not make headlines. She didn’t move mountains. She wasn’t perfect. But she left a lasting impression on everyone who met her. Her exuberance, energy, and zest for life were unmatched in her extended family or mine.

A year after her passing, we are left only with memories and grief